Man who threatened to slit throats of his partner and baby sent to jail

Sonya McLean
– 27 April 2018 02:30 AM

Patrick Stokes punched Ms Kavanagh in the ribs before threatening to slit her throat and the throat of their son. (stock photo)

A man who threatened to kill his partner, their six-month-old son and himself has been jailed for five years.

Patrick Stokes (26) threatened to rape Louise Kavanagh if she left him, before telling her he was going to slit her throat.

"You are going to die tonight," he told her while he held her throat with both his hands.

He also threatened to slit their son's throat, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told.

Stokes, previously of Booterstown Halting Site, admitted setting fire to their home at the site on February 2 last year after Ms Kavanagh said she was leaving him. He also admitted assaulting Ms Kavanagh, causing her harm, threatening to kill or cause her serious harm and falsely imprisoning her at the Clayton Hotel, Sandyford, on March 11, 2017.

Det Gda Colm Gregan told the court that Stokes and Ms Kavanagh split up after the fire, but reunited some weeks later and were staying at the hotel because they were homeless.

However, Stokes became aggressive again and attacked Ms Kavanagh in their hotel room. He got on top of her and held her throat with both hands until she struggled to breathe.

Ms Kavanagh managed to get away and made her way to the door. As she did so, Stokes grabbed their son with one hand while holding a knife in the other. He eventuallydropped the baby on to the bed.

Stokes punched Ms Kavanagh in the ribs and knocked her on to the bed before threatening to slit her throat and the throat of their son.

Survive

He then threatened her with a broken wine bottle and told her he would kill her.